Music-leaf turner



March 12', 1929. R. RoBs'o-N MUSIC, LEAF TURNER 2 'Sheets-Sheet Filed June 27, 1923 M y w *fw Il:

March 12, 1929. R. RoBsoN MUSIC LEAF TURNER Filed June 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I @H231 wat? Patented Mar. l2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT ROBSON, 0F LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA.

MUSIC-LEAF TURN EB.

Application filed .Tune 27,

rllhis invention relates to improvements in mechanism for turning sheets of music, and has for its object to provide a mechanism wherein the major operating parts shall be located within the piano case, so as to detract as little as possible from the appearance of the instrument.

The various features of novelty and invention will appear from the detailed description taken in connection with the two accompanying sheets of drawing forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a piano, showing my improved sheet turning mechanism attached thereto, the mechanism within the piano case being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the foot controlled mechanism for operating the music turning arms; and

Fig. 3 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the sheet turning mechanism, which is mounted on the front panel of the piano.

1n the drawings, numeral 1 indicates generally an upright piano; 2 the front panel thereof; 3 the keyboard; 4 the shelf on the panel 2 on which the music is generally supported; and 5 the set of three-pedals usually provided, the piano as a whole being shown in finer lines than the attachment so as to more readily distinguish the salient features.

Mounted on the panel 2 is a pair of brackets 6 and 7, disposed in spaced relationship one above the other, and extending between and mounted in these brackets are a plurality of shafts to which are attached arms for turning the music.

In the present embodiment of the invention there are shown three concentric tubular shafts 8, 9 and 10. These shafts are of progressively increasing lengths, the central shaft 10 being the longest and having affixed at its upper end an arm 11 and a pulley 12. The shaft 9 similarly carries an arm 13 and a pulley 14, and the exterior shaft 8 also carries an arm 15 and a pulley 16. These arms at their free ends are provided with suitable clips 17 for gripping the sheets 18 of the music (see Fig. 3).

At this point it may be stated that the lower ends of the shafts 8, 9 and 10 are provided With fingers 19, 20 and 21 respectively, these fingers serving to permit the turning of the shafts by hand for purposes which will be presently explained.

The arms 11, 13 and 15 are designed to be 1923. Serial No. 648,086.

operated by gravity weights in the operation of turning the music, and to that end each of the pulleys 12, 14 and 16 has connection with cables or cords which lead to weights. The Weight which controls the upper arm 11 is indicated at 22; the weight which controls the arm 13 is indicated at 23 and the weight for the other arm is indicated at 24. The respective cords or cables between the said weights and their respective arms and pulleys are indicated at 25, 26 and 27 respectively, it being understood that the cables are suitably attached to their respective pulleys and wind around the same sufficiently to enable the full limit of turning movement to be obtained. Mounted within the piano case is a bracket 28, having pulleys 29, 30 and 31, over which the respective cables pass from the weights to the pulleys on the shafts.

The weights are located Within a rectangular case or box 32, and are controlled by means of pedals 33, 34 and 35, one for each weight. The pedals are mounted on and keyed to spaced shafts 33', 34 and 35 having hearing in suitable brackets 36 and 37 located within the piano case adjacent the bottom thereof. Mounted on the respective pedal shafts are upright arms 38, 39 and 40, the upper ends of which are connected in any suitable manner as by links 50 to pawls 42 which control the said weights.

The Weights are provided on one of their faces With ratchet teeth 41 and each weight is controlled by its individual pawl 42 which as already indicated are individually controlled by pedals 33, 34 and 35. The pawls are shown as mounted on a shaft 43, which is suitably supported by angular extensions 44 suitably anchored to the sides of the box 32. The pawls are normally held in engagement with their respective racks 41 by means of leaf springs 45, which bear on the back of the pawls. Instead of racks 41 a single tooth on each weight could be used but a plurality of teeth in connection with each weight obviates the necesisty of having the cables of any given length, a feature of value in case of replacement of the cables.

The operation of the music turner will now be briefly described:

Assuming that the Weights are in elevated position as indicated in Fig. 2, when it is desired to turn the first sheet, the pedal which controls the upper arm 11 will be depressed, that is to say, the pedal 35 will be depressed to retract the pawl which controls the weight 32, between which and the paWl l2 the cable 25 extends, it being remembered that the pulley l2 is alixed to the shaft 10 which in turn carries the arm 11. The following sheets of music are turned by depressing the successive pedals in order, that is to say, pedals 34 and 33. The Weights are restored to elevated position by reversing the turning movement of the arm-carrying shafts 8, 9 and IO by means of the fingers 19, 20 and 21 aixed at the lower ends of the same. Such elevation of the Weights may be el'ected without interference from the pawls ft2, as will be readily apparent. The said fingers not only serve the purpose' of restoring the Weights to elevated position so that the saine may again function when released to turn the shafts but they also serve means to permit the turning back of the sheets of music to repeat the music thereon. It will be understood that any suitable type o'f clips 17 may be used at the free ends of the arms l1j and that only one sheet of music will be gripped by the respective clips.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided a mechanism for turning music which is very simple in operation and which as to its major operating parts may be l0- cated Within the piano case so as not to detract from theappearance thereof. The pedals are arranged adjacent the conventional pedals of the piano and the manipulation of the same is therefore readily effected by the feet of the operator.

Ihat I claim is:

A music leaf turner having a plurality of concentric tuhula r inner and outer shafts sup ported thereon, the shafts varying in length from the inner to the outer shaft, pulleys mounted on the upper extremity of each of said shafts` arms proj eeting from said pulleys and relatively iXed With respect thereto, cables anchored to said pulleys, a bracket over which the cables pass at right angles, and pedal controlled Weights to Which the said cables are alixed.

In testimony whereof I aHix my signature.

ROBERT ROBSON. 

